Next Time You’re Stuck in a Waiting Room, Try These 5 Creative Activities to Reconnect (and Watch Time Soar!)
We all dread those fluorescent light waiting rooms, whether at the doctor's office, the DMV, or waiting on a car repair. It's a stressful situation, no doubt, but it’s a perfect opportunity to resist the urge to check emails or do the soul-sucking scroll, especially if you're with a loved one. Seize the moment to relax and reconnect.
Waiting together can become one of the best opportunities to bond with a loved one, with a bit of creativity and a few simple activities. Here are five engaging ways to make your wait time more enjoyable and transform it from mundane to magical.
Magazine Memory Game: Bring a magazine or pick one from the waiting room. Play a game to test your memory and observation skills. Take turns looking together at a magazine page for 10 seconds, one person looking closely at all the details while another thinks of a question. Then, close the magazine, and one of you asks the other a question about it. For example, "What color shoes was the man on the bicycle wearing?" The other person has to guess. It's a fun and engaging way to pass the time and sharpen your brain power.
Write on My Back: This one is all about tactile communication. Each person takes turns writing a letter or word on the other person's back, and the other person has to guess what it is. It's a simple yet intimate activity that can spark reconnection and laughter. Words, letters, and pictures written on your back – what could be more personal?
Coloring Pages: If you want a relaxing and creative activity, take along some coloring pages or just a notebook and some pens or markers. Here are a few of our recent coloring goodies you can download ahead of time:
Celebrate Nature with 15 free coloring pages.
Fall into Creativity: Coloring Your Way to Mindfulness and Gratitude (Fall Coloring Book)
Celebrate Desserts! Color some sweet treats while you wait. Available in our new Shop.
Reverse Coloring — Relax by Doodling and Drawing the Lines
Don’t want to carry along a whole set of markers or crayons? Try our Fall Colors Reverse Coloring Pages; just a black pen or marker for each of you is all you need! Reverse coloring is a breeze to do together and offers a simple, no-pressure way to unwind and unleash your artistic side. The images are already there, relax by tracing the lines or doodling designs. This is also a great one to do if waiting on your own for some quiet relaxation.
Two Truths and a Lie: Use this classic icebreaker game to better get to know your waiting companion. Each person takes turns sharing two truths and one lie about themselves. The other person has to guess which statement is the lie. This game is a fantastic way to spark conversation, learn more about each other, and have a good laugh.
Collaborative Drawing: This one is perfect for creating a lasting memory together. Grab a blank piece of paper and take turns drawing a single shape or line, one at a time, back and forth. Before you know it, you'll have a shared picture to cherish. My daughter Lilly and I used to go to a favorite restaurant after doctor and dentist appointments since it was close to the offices. We’d share a steak, and while waiting, we’d do a creation like this every time. It was our little tradition. It’s so simple but so memorable! Collaborative drawing can be a surprising, funny, and unique way to bond, whether waiting for your meal in a restaurant or sitting in a waiting room.
I hope these ideas help improve your next waiting experience — they’ve certainly saved my sanity a time or two. If you find just one new idea here, mission accomplished!
Have more ideas of your own? We’d love to hear them. Please let us know in the Comments.
Stay unchained — Janet 💖😊